Portable stool



Aug. 29, 1967 M. XAVIER 3,338,189

PORTABLE STOOL Filed April 29, 1966 INVENTOR SISTER MARY XAVIER 1 MM57ML A TTO NEYS United States Patent 3,338,189 PORTABLE STOOL Mary Xavier, Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Filed Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 546,261 1 Claim. (Cl. 108-111) This invention relates to a portable and collapsible stool. More particularly, the invention is directed toward an inexpensive stool having an ease of manufacture, is light in weight and is quickly assembled and disassembled. The stool is uniquely adaptable for travelling drama groups which travel between performances and, as a result, must maintain their travelling equipment to a minimum. Additionally, such groups have a minimum of time in which to prepare their props and, when said props are assembled, must be attractive and exceptionally sturdy.

An objective of this invention is to provide such a stool with a minimum of parts which can be assembled in minutes, is rigid of construction and can be disassembled quickly without any appreciable effort.

A more specific objective of this invention is to provide a stool of the type described which includes a pair of base members interlocked with one another, a plurality of like reinforcing members, one of which is intermediate the length of the base members and the other which secures and reinforces the upper end of the assembled stool.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements throughout the figures thereof are indicated by like numerals and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective of the stool prior to assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective of the stool partially assembled;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan of an intermediate reinforcing member; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan of FIGURE 2 with the seat removed and the intermediate reinforcing member in place.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral indicates the stool of this invention. The stool is comprised of four basic parts. A first elongated base member 12, a second elongated base member 14 which is interlocked with the base member 12, an intermediate rein-forcing disc 16 and a reinforcing seat member 18.

The base member 12 is formed with a slot 20 throughout the majority of its length and which slot is terminated by a slot base 22. The base member is terminated at its upper end by a seat-receiving edge 24 and at its lower end by a floor-engaging end 26. Between the floorengaging end 26 and the slot base 22, a distance D is defined. The base 12 is inwardly and downwardly sloped along surfaces 28 and is downwardly and outwardly sloped along surfaces 30 and 32. Intermediate the surfaces 30 and 32, cuts at 34 and 36 are provided to form ledges 38 and 40 for purposes hereinafter described.

The base member 14 is substantially identical to the base member 12 and its corresponding parts are indicated on FIGURES 1 and 2 with the same numerals as those pertaining to base 12 with the addition of prime marks. The one major distinction between base member 12 and base member 14 is that base member 14 does not have a slot corresponding to slot 20. However, base member 14 is provided with a slot 44 extending upwardly from its base 26 to a slot base 45 a distance D. The distance D is equal to the distance D.

As shown best in FIGURE 2, the two base members are interlocked by inter-fitting the slots 20 and 44 such that the floor-engaging ends 26 and 26 fall in a common plane. The upper ends 24 and 24 also fall in a common horizontal plane. When assembled, the member 12 and 14 are normal to one another and are semi-rigid due to the engagement of slot 44 with the lower end of base 12 and the engagement of slot 20 with the upper end of base 14. The slot widths approximate the widths of members 12 and 14 to insure a close fit.

The reinforcing member 16 is formed with intersecting slots 27 and 28, said slots having longitudinal lengths corresponding to the transverse distances C and C between the cuts 3436 and 3436. When the rein-forcing disc 16 is slipped over the assembled base member, it moves into engagement with and is supported by ledges 38-38 and 4040. When in position, the supporting disc 16 resists a lateral twisting of the elongated assembled base members and provides an assembly of some strength.

The seat member 18 is grooved on one planar side thereof with grooves 50 and 52 which have lengths corresponding to lengths B and B of the upper edges 24 and 24. The edges 24 and 24 have screw-receiving apertures 54 and 54 along their upper surfaces adapted to receive the screws 56 which are inserted through apertures 58 which overlie the apertures when grooves 50 and 52 receive the upper edges 24 and 24'.

It should be noted that each of the four principal elements, namely, base members 12 and 14, rein-forcing disc 16 and seat 18 are planar and can fit into a container of limited dimensions. Since the two members 16 and 18 are less than the overall length of members 12 and 14, a container of three member widths can be utilized. Additionally, there are no small parts to be lost nor is there any complicated assembly linkage to become damaged during travel.

In operation, the stool parts are taken from its container and, in a very quick time, member 14 is placed into interlocking relationship with member 12. Disc 16 is positioned over ledges 42 and 42 and the unit is secured by placing the seat over the base members such that grooves 50 and 52 receive the top edges 24 and 24'. If desired, the screws 56 can be inserted into their respective positions in an attractive stool sturdy in configuration and ready for use. The stool is just as quickly disassembled.

What has been set forth above is intended primarily as exemplary to enable those skilled in the art in the practice of the invention and it should therefore be understood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced in other ways than as specifically described.

What is new and therefore desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A collapsible stool comprising:

a first elongated slotted member having a floor-engaging end, a seat-receiving end, and first and second sides respectively extending from said floor-engaging end to said seat-receiving end, said first member having a particular longitudinal length and said sides defining a maximum transverse width at said floorengaging end,

a second elongated slotted member angularly disposed to and interlocking with said first elongated member and having a floor-engaging end in the plane of said first-mentioned floor-engaging end, a seat-receiving end in the plane of said first-mentioned seat-receiving end, and third and fourth sides whose peripheral dimensions are substantially identical to said first elongated member, said sides in each of said members each having a cut-out portion defined by a' 3 4 vertical side wall and a horizontal ledge intermediate R f e Cit d l UNITED STATES PATENTS a relnforclng disc havlng slots formed therein symmetrically receiving said vertical side walls of said 4321425 7/1890 Moan first and second members and supported by said 5 13471882 12/1912 Beach 108101 ledges, 1,854,293 4/1932 Danco 10- 101 a removable seat having grooves in its underside, said 210003915 5/1935 Blake 103-459 grooves receiving the seat-receiving ends of said 2,235,290 3/1941 EXliIle 6t 10 159 elongated members, and 2, 2 ,24 10/19 0 Le per 1081()1 said disc and said seat each having diameters less than 10 2,595,542 5/1952 R b ins 108101 said maximum transverse width of said members and I whose sum is less than said longitudinal length of FRANCIS K- UG L, Prlmary Exammer.

said members. 

